Tibouchina organensis cultivar Grue-TiB 03.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Tibouchina plant, botanically known as Tibouchina organensis, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Grue-TiB 03xe2x80x99.
The new Tibouchina is a product of a induced mutation breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Lxc3xcnen, Germany. The objective of the program is to create new Tibouchinas with different plant forms and sizes.
The new Tibouchina is an induced mutation of an unnamed selection of Tibouchina organensis, not patented. Mutations were induced by exposing unrooted cuttings of the unnamed Tibouchina selection to gamma radiation. The new Tibouchina was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of irradiated plants of the unnamed Tibouchina selection in 1999 in a controlled environment in Lxc3xcnen, Germany. The new Tibouchina was selected on its plant form and growth habit.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Lxc3xcnen, Germany since 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Tibouchina are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Grue-TiB 03 have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and culture such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Grue-TiB 03xe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Grue-TiB 03xe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.
2. Compact growth habit with short internodes.
3. Purple-colored flowers.
In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lxc3xcnen, Germany, plants of the new Tibouchina differed from plants of the parent selection in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Tibouchina were more outwardly spreading than plants of the parent selection.
2. Plants of the new Tibouchina were more compact than plants of the parent selection.
3. Plants of the new Tibouchina had smaller leaves than plants of the parent selection.
4. Plants of the new Tibouchina had smaller flowers than plants of the parent selection.
Compared to plants of the Tibouchina cultivar Grue-TiB 01, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/094,274, plants of the new Tibouchina are smaller, have smaller flowers, and are not as freely flowering. Compared to plants of the Tibouchina cultivar Grue-TiB 02, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/094/327, plants of the new Tibouchina have smaller leaves, have smaller flowers and are not as freely flowering. Compared to plants of the Tibouchina cultivar Grue-TiB 04, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/094,273, plants of the new Tibouchina are smaller, are not as freely branching, have smaller leaves, and have smaller flowers. Compared to plants of the Tibouchina cultivar Grue-TiB 05, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/094,334, plants of the new Tibouchina are shorter, are not as upright, have smaller leaves, have smaller flowers, and are not as freely flowering.
Plants of the new Tibouchina can be compared to plants of the Tibouchina urvilleana Rich Blue Sun, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lxc3xcnen, Germany, plants of the new Tibouchina differed from plants of the cultivar Rich Blue Sun in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Tibouchina were more outwardly spreading and not as upright as plants of the cultivar Rich Blue Sun.
2. Plants of the new Tibouchina were more compact than plants of the cultivar Rich Blue Sun.
3. Plants of the new Tibouchina had smaller leaves than plants of the cultivar Rich Blue Sun.
4. Plants of the new Tibouchina had smaller flowers than plants of the cultivar Rich Blue Sun.